UK Social Work Student Wins Doctoral Scholarship

Hannah Brooks, a doctoral student at the University of Kentucky College of Social Work, received the Martin Booth & Patsy Dills Tracy Scholarship to support her pursuit of a Doctorate of Social Work degree.

Brooks works as a play therapist in community mental health and teaches part-time at the college. She earned her master's degree and spent years in clinical practice before returning to graduate school to formalize her interest in teaching and mentorship.

"By receiving financial support, I was able to spend more time on academic pursuits without the fear of greater debt," Brooks said.

Brooks chose UK because of family ties to the university and a program structure that accommodates her work and family life. She expects to graduate in 2027. Growing up around respite care and foster care, she saw how a single social worker could alter a child's trajectory.

"I saw the impact of one social worker on a child's life," Brooks said. "It is a rewarding career to continuously be impacting the world around you."